Portage schools settlement with high school tennis player: $30,000

PORTAGE, MI - Former Portage Central High School student and varsity tennis player Carly Pratt and her mother were paid $30,000 in settlement of a lawsuit they brought against the school in June, 2015, alleging that Carly was unfairly treated or bullied as a member of the team.

All of that amount was paid by the school's insurance, said Michelle Karpinski, community relations manager for Portage Public Schools.

Each party in the lawsuit was also ordered to pay its own attorney fees and 50 percent of the mediation fee, according to court documents acquired under provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.

It is unclear how much those fees might total, but the school's bill was limited to its $10,000 deductible, Karpinski said, paid from the general fund to the District's insurance company SET-SEG.

"Legal fees beyond the deductible are not shared with the District by SET-SEG," Karpinski said in response to the FOIA request.

In other conditions of the settlement, Portage Central High School Principal Eric Alburtus and former Portage Central High School Tennis Coach Peter Militzer will each provide a letter of reference detailing Carly Pratt's goals and achievements while a student and player at Portage Central.

"Defendants have stated these letters shall be favorable to Carly Pratt," the settlement document states.

In addition, should Carly decide to pursue her tennis career, Militzer will provide a letter of recommendation--provided Carly demonstrates a certain level of commitment to the sport spelled out in detail in the agreement.

A confidentiality and non-disparagement clause that is part of the agreement limits each party to commenting only that "the matter has been resolved, the case dismissed and that the parties believe the settlement was in furtherance of their best economic interests.